Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $844 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,303 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,761 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 67% more expensive than Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Sandakan, Sabah is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$2.29 MYR 9.05

49.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$18.66 MYR 73.7

76.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$4.59 MYR 18.13

10.68%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.57 MYR 10.17

9.73%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.69 MYR 2.71

98.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.25 MYR 0.99

184.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.37 MYR 9.37

25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.47 MYR 13.70

12.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.75 MYR 6.92

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$1.19 MYR 4.68

111.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.20 MYR 4.75

0.83%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.88 MYR 11.39

-19.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$15.09 MYR 59.6

-3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$3.51 MYR 13.86

24.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$7.09 MYR 28.00

69.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.62 MYR 10.37

45.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.12 MYR 4.43

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$3.21 MYR 12.68

-15.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.91 MYR 7.56

16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.23 MYR 4.87

54.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.29 MYR 5.09

68.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.12 MYR 4.42

-8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.48 MYR 1.88

60.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$4.16 MYR 16.44

-23.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$16.86 MYR 66.6

37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.92 MYR 7.60

48.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$1.62 MYR 6.39

67.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.69 MYR 2.72

-57.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$12.01 MYR 47.43

-29.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$1.20 MYR 4.73

-59.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$1.00 MYR 3.93

-55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$5.83 MYR 23.03

7.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.50 MYR 1.96

70.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$29.5K MYR 116.3K

-11.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$28.2K MYR 111.3K

11.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$47.91 MYR 189

66.50%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$3.53 MYR 13.93

15.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$23.38 MYR 92.4

2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$37.49 MYR 148

156.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$6.03 MYR 23.81

8.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$2.81 MYR 11.09

46.98%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$297 Rp 5.1M

$93.4 MYR 369

217.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$4,518 MYR 17.8K

47.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$60.0 MYR 237

-8.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$23.14 MYR 91.4

67.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$71.8 MYR 284

24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$93.4 MYR 369

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$386 MYR 1,525

163.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$267 MYR 1,056

146.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$637 MYR 2,515

439.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$464 MYR 1,835

342.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,587 MYR 6,267

87.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$938 MYR 3,705

152.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$762 MYR 3,008

-77.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

342.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $386 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 343% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $19 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $235 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $844 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sandakan, Sabah earns 343% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $386 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $93.4 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $844 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.